We use Manners Minders in our kennels at work, they're incredibly useful for getting your reinforcement timing and placement right.

They do jam a lot, we just had to find the right size kibble to put in them. Too big: jams. Too small: jams. Soft treats absolutely do not work, crumbs are a very bad thing! You might try getting some free samples of different foods to figure out which one works best.

When you push the remote to give a treat, the Manners Minder beeps, which you should be able to hear from another room. When it gets jammed, it makes a different (louder!) beep, which you should definately also hear from another room.

We found this chart to be really helpful: Treats and Foods for the Manners Minder. It lists a bunch of different foods, what disk size to use with each, and how well they worked in the manners minder. Lots of information here that should help!!

I loved ours at work, embarrassingly it took me forever to realize the dish came off.

I would love to see how it will be improved, do you have any sneak peeks?

Here it is!http://www.petsafe.net/products/trai...reat-dispenser
I think this was day #3 of being at the trade show and I was about as tuned out as I could be, but it can be plugged in, and it also has a tone (which I believe the Manners Minder does not have). It's cheaper than the MM. It looks constructed better. Downside is I don't believe you can go as far with the remote.

Petsafe dropped some pretty awesome new stuff this year. Potty pads that you plug into the treat dispenser, and when it feels moisture, it spits out a treat. A bark counter to monitor how much (and when) your dog barks if you aren't home. Pendant e-collars with a ring that sits on the dog's neck instead of prongs (less chance of pressure necrosis).

Here it is!http://www.petsafe.net/products/trai...reat-dispenser
I think this was day #3 of being at the trade show and I was about as tuned out as I could be, but it can be plugged in, and it also has a tone (which I believe the Manners Minder does not have). It's cheaper than the MM. It looks constructed better. Downside is I don't believe you can go as far with the remote.

That does look nice. I especially like that it can be plugged in, though of course that may not even always be possible because you'd have to make sure the power cord is out of reach of the dog. Still a nice option. I'd love to try one out in person, I'll have to start watching the pet stores and trade shows....

I adore my old style Manners Minder (Sharper Image Treat N Train). It can be plugged in, it has down stay sensors (my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE THING), and the only thing I've had to replace is the battery on the remote.

I also ordered one of these off Amazon too. I got mine used from somebody for about $20 less than retail, has everything with it, even still in the original box, so I was like "well okay." I figured if it doesn't work I can sell it used as well.
I'm using it with P on his crate tantrums. It's... uh. Worked for a while. Works as long as the cookies keep pouring into his crate? I think I need a ramp for mine, that's a good idea. Payton's is on a table next to his crate with the tray off and they slide in, but some of them bounce off. (I can't put it on top because Pepper's crate is on top, and she has to be on top so Payton won't pester her.) Then everybody runs around outside his crate, digging around, trying to snag the ones that didn't fall into the crate or fell in just the right way that it bounced underNEATH the plastic crate tray... annoying dogs.

I'm not sure if mine works well on the down stay part. I set it to variable but I can hear it in the other room just churning away on what sounds like a regular basis. I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to work like that.